2. A Board shall be established, to be called the Local Government Board for Ireland (in this Act referred to as “The Local Government Board”), and all powers and duties vested in or imposed on the Commissioners for administering the Laws for Relief of the Poor in Ireland by the several Acts of Parliament relating to the relief of the poor and any other Acts, or vested in or imposed on the Lord Lieutenant, the Privy Council, or on the chief secretary by the enactments mentioned in the schedule annexed hereto, shall be transferred to and imposed on the said Local Government Board, and, except as otherwise provided by this Act, shall be exercised and performed by such Board in like manner and form, and subject to the same conditions, liabilities, and incidents respectively, as such powers and duties might before the passing of this Act have been exercised and performed by the authorities in whom the same were then vested respectively, or as near thereto as circumstances admit.